Recorded the state’s top marks in the long jump and high jump this spring
For immediate release
PORTLAND, Oregon (July 31) -- A breakthrough track and field campaign for Westview High senior-to-be Colleen Uzoekwe is now complete with prep track and field hardware.
Uzoekwe was crowned the Prep Girls Track and Field Athlete of the Year in June by the Oregon Sports Awards voting panel. The vote took place less than a month after Uzoekwe scored the most points (38) of any athlete from all classifications at the OSAA Track and Field Championships.
Sport Oregon and NBC Sports Northwest presented Uzoekwe with her award during “The Noe Show” with Brian Noe on Wednesday. Uzoekwe joins Benson High sprinter Micah Williams as the Oregon Sports Awards’ 2019 Prep Track and Field Athletes of the Year.
Uzoekwe is the first Wildcat to win the award, which was added to the Oregon Sports Awards in 2012.
Award criteria and past winners
Click here to access a highlight reel clip of Uzoekwe’s time in studio.
Uzoekwe burst onto the scene this spring as one of the state’s most versatile track and field athletes. Uzoekwe did both sprints and jumps for the Wildcats, focusing on the 100m, 200m, long jump and high jump. She notched top all-classification marks in all four events.
Her season-bests in the long jump (18-11.75 feet) and high jump (5-8.25 feet) were tops in the state. Uzoekwe’s personal records in the 100m (11.86 seconds) and 200m (24.90 seconds) ranked third and fifth in the state, respectively.
Uzoekwe placed first in the 100m, 200m and 300m at the 6A Track and Field Championships. She was second in the high jump to fellow Prep Girls Track and Field Athlete of the Year finalist Maddie McHone (Centennial). North Valley’s Baylee Touey was the third finalist for the award.
Uzoekwe’s accounted for all but five of Westview’s points scored at the state meet to lead the team to a sixth-place finish.
She swept all four aforementioned events at the Metro League Championships in May and notched 23 first-place finishes for the Wildcats.
Uzoekwe was also a member of a Wildcat 4x400 relay team that posted the state’s third-fastest time (3:57.71) at the Nike Twilight Jesuit Relays on May 3.
She has competed in USATF and club track meets this summer and says her junior season piqued the recruiting interest of college coaches. Uzoekwe says she was not actively recruited before the start of the outdoor season.
Sport Oregon, which manages the Oregon Sports Awards, and NBC Sports Northwest partnered to announce all single-sport prep award winners on “The Noe Show” throughout July. Announcements began on July 8 and concluded Wednesday with Uzoekwe as well as Prep Boys Basketball Player of the Year (Aaron Deloney, Grant High) and Prep Girls X-Country Runner of the Year (Fiona Max, Summit) reveals.
Presenting sponsor: HP
State Champion Sponsors: NBC Sports Northwest Nike Pamplin Media Group Portland Thorns Portland Timbers Portland Trail Blazers Providence Heath and Services Washington Trust Bank
About Sport Oregon
Sport Oregon’s mission is to drive economic growth and enhance Oregon’s quality of life through sports. Our non-profit organization has served as the state’s sports economic development arm for more than two decades, injecting more than $350 million into Oregon’s economy through sports tourism.
Supported by more than 150 annual members, Sport Oregon works relentlessly to enhance the state’s economy and quality of life by attracting sports events and franchises. Sport Oregon’s major achievements include securing the NCAA Basketball Tournament, Davis Cup World Final, multiple U.S. Figure Skating Championships, Women’s World Cup Soccer and the Dew Tour. Sport Oregon was recognized as “Sports Commission of the Year” in 2010 by the National Association of Sports Commissions. View a complete list of Past Events and Future Events.
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Brady Johnson
Sport Oregon
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